2023 NBA Mock Draft has Toronto Raptors adding elite recruit

The Toronto Raptors officially wrapped up their 2022 NBA Draft plans months ago when they used the No. 33 pick on Arizona center Christian Koloko. Even with another year in the books, Masai Ujiri is likely hard at work trying to find the next great Raptor in the first round. Bring on the 2023 NBA mock draft wizards!

After parting ways with a first-round pick last year in order to acquire Thad Young, Ujiri and the Raptors will be able to utilize their full slate of picks in 2022-23. This will give Toronto another chance to add a long-term contributor on the bench on the perimeter.

Bringing in a veteran player like Otto Porter Jr. should be a tremendous help for the Raptors after their struggles with bench scoring last year. Still, Ujiri likely won’t be content with their current perimeter depth chart when he wants to start gunning for championship glory. That’s where this stacked 2023 draft comes into play.

Rookie Wire’s 2023 Mock Draft, which had the Toronto Raptors picking No. 18 overall, predicted that Ujiri would use his top pick on incoming Alabama freshman Brandon Miller. Considering the top youngster’s pedigree, this move makes sense for Toronto if he has a strong season in Tuscaloosa.

2023 Toronto Raptors mock draft: Brandon Miller makes a lot of sense.

Miller is a 5-star recruit who stands 6-8 and weighs 200. After turning down schools like Auburn and Tennessee, Miller has been handed a prime opportunity to serve as Nate Oats’ top scorer. Everything about his profile suggests that he’ll be a solid scorer in the pros.

Miller’s best individual trait is a nasty 3-point shot that he used to great effect in his high school career and on the showcase circuit. Already able to handle the ball well and create shots for himself inside the paint, Miller’s potential as Toronto’s sixth man is clear and obvious.

One of Miller’s biggest issues as a prospect relates to his lack of tremendous physical strength and inability to generate consistent defensive effort. Landing in Toronto, an organization that would get him in shape and force him to defend, could help fix his most noteworthy deficiency.

The Raptors have most of their long-term pieces already fixed in stone, but they could use one more shooter on the bench to make them an even bigger threat in the future. If Miller adds weight and fixes his defense gradually, he will be a perfect fit for a Toronto team that loves players with his physical toolbox.